Landmark ruling for miners, and unemployment on the rise

Landmark ruling for miners, more student anger, and unemployment on the rise

14 May 2016

"Now...if you trust in yourself...”
“Yes?”
“...and believe in your dreams...”
“Yes?”
“...and follow your star...” Miss Tick went on.
“Yes?”
“...you’ll still be beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren’t so lazy. Goodbye.”

? Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

This week's wrap-up

Judging the Judge
Mabel Jansen, the judge who infamously claimed that rape is part of black culture, has been put on special leave. The surfacing of Jansen’s 2015 Facebook post was met with additional outrage due to the decidedly unSparrowish position of power its author occupies. The Black Lawyers Association has called for Jansen to resign.

Landmark ruling for ill miners
The High Court in Johannesburg gave the go-ahead on Friday for a class action suit representing miners who contracted lung disease This paves the way for miners who contracted Silicosis and Tuberculosis while underground to sue mining companies for negligence. The ruling is expected to affect 200,000 miners.

Reversing illicit financial flows
A plan to return illicit financial flows to their home countries was announced at aglobal anti-corruption summit in London on Thursday. This is in light of the Panama Papers evidence that while people may find such a feat supremely difficult, African assets apparently have no difficulty entering safe overseas havens. In a level-headed response to UK PM Cameron's remark that Nigeria is 'fantastically corrupt', Nigeria's President Buhari admitted the truth of the observation, and suggested stolen assets be returned.

Young anger
The Vaal University of Technology has suspended class after three days of increasingly violent protests left charred shells of former buildings. Students there are angry about a lack of security on campus. Meanwhile, UCT students gathered on Thursday to protest the effective expulsion of 5 of their peers of the Rhodes Must Fall (RMF) movement in a Wednesday court ruling.

Unemployment on the rise
Stats released this week revealed that unemployment rose 10% this quarter from 24.5% to perch at 26.7% By the expanded definition of unemployment, over 1 in 3 – 36.3% of SA’s workforce – cannot find work.

Video of the week

What would happen if you fell into a black hole?
Top Media

Fact of the Week

It's a myth that shaving makes hair grow back thicker. Shaving hair has zero effect on thickness, colour or growth-rate. The stubbly, blunt-tipped property of new hair might make it appear thicker initially, but it's no different.

Sporting weekend

Tennis: WTA Internazionali BNL d'Italia SF1
Saturday: semi-finals 1: 11.50am- 2pm; 2.30pm- 5pm;
semi-finals 2: 5pm-7pm, 8pm-10.30pm.
Sunday: Finals: 1.55pm- 3.50pm, 4.50pm-8pm.

Super rugby
Saturday: Hurricanes v Reds, 9.35am; Waratahs v Bulls, 11.55am; Sunwolves v Bulls, 1.55pm; Cheetahs v Kings, 5.05pm; Lions v Blues, 7.15pm; Jaguares v Sharks, 10.40pm.

Soccer (ABSA Premiership):
All at 3pm: Kaizer Chiefs v Chippa Utd; University of Pta v Golden Arrows; Orlando Pirates v SuperSport Utd; Mamelodi Sundowns v Platinum Stars; Ajax CT v Bidvest Wits; Jomo Cosmos v Maritzburg Utd; Bloem Celtic v Polokwane City; Black Aces v Free State Stars

World

DM is much better if you are signed in...

World